Qualifying ends; six candidates in House race

By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL
sarah@newnan.com
Six candidates will vie for the District 71 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives.
The sixth candidate, Cynthia Conradt Bennett, a Democrat, joined the five Republican candidates when she qualified on Wednesday.

Qualifying for the special election, which will be held on Feb. 5, ended Wednesday.
The candidates are: Bennett, an educator, real estate agent Richard Weisser, business owner David J. Stover, attorney Darryl Marmon, U.S. Army retiree Michael Farbo Jr., and general contractor Thomas G. Crymes.
A runoff, if needed, will be held on March 5.
The District 71 seat was held for the past several years by Billy Horne, R-Sharpsburg. The seat became vacant upon the withdrawal of Rep.-elect Robert Stokely, who was named to a judgeship in Coweta Magistrate Court.

Because of the short time frame between qualifying and the election, there will be limited early voting.

Coweta Elections Superintendent Jane Scoggins said it is her intention to start early voting on Jan. 26, at the latest, and earlier if possible. Paper absentee ballots will be mailed as soon as they can be printed.

District 71 includes most of the eastern half of Coweta County, as well as a small portion of Peachtree City. It includes 11 precincts in Coweta.